Lessons from a Foolish Earthling

Faithful Fools Ade, Silena and St. Ignatius students show their puppet creations from an immersion activity

“Even after all this time, the sun never says to the earth, 'You owe me.' “ - Hafiz

If you ask anyone who has come across Sister Ade Kroll of the Faithful Fools, it’s highly likely that person’s eyes will light up and share that one of the fondest associations with her is how good her soups and cookies were. Most street retreats and gatherings at the Fools Court became more nourishing for the belly and soul when graced by any combination of Sister Ade’s Moroccan stew, split pea soup, or monster and almond cookies. Sister Ade is also famous for her very personal and whimsical thank you cards as known by folks who have donated to the Fools. Her humor and playfulness were not just evident in her greeting cards and papier-mâché creations, but also the activities she led at the Fools and other communities. 

Sister Ade packing up treats to send to the Fools

And then there are those who also had the pleasure of experiencing and witnessing the spirit working within and through Sister Ade, one who has been driven by her search for a living God and has found a home in the universe story. I’m one of them, thanks to being one of the Fools who has hosted Cosmic Conversations, a weekly gathering that started in the Fall of 2023. On Thursdays, we read scriptures, ancient texts, poetry, and even fairy tales to explore the meanings and wisdom we glean from the passages. 

For many, this time together has provided an anchor and brave space to connect with community members, engage with new and familiar material, a diversity of perspectives, and tune into the spirit. We have explored many themes in the group, ranging from consciousness, the use of language, electromagnetism, to worldviews. Whether we were analyzing the story of Cain and Abel or the character of Baba Yaga from folklore, Sister Ade had a way of making the exploration relatable to those in the room.

Some of Sister Ade's biggest fans: Brandon, Leah and Tammy

I’ve personally picked up three main threads from my time in these Cosmic and direct conversations I’ve had with Sister Ade:

1. We are meant to be creative and connected. I was reminded again and again that as humans, we are inherently unique and relational beings. We can learn how we are meant to live through nature but we’ve been programmed so strongly by society that we need to take direction from within the spirit. But first, we need to tune out the noise. Sister Ade’s sense of awe with life and all creation models this, always being present to notice the budding of a flower and not considering anything or anyone as mere objects but as fellow creatures.   

2. Life is an experiment. Part of the creation process is the journey, Sister Ade emphasized the human being vs. human doing and that the universe is always experimenting. She defined gravity as the natural call to follow the uniqueness of who we are and that there are no mistakes. If something doesn’t work, we are invited to reflect and learn from it, instead of seeing it as a failure. And when we can’t fit in for being who we are, we have the choice to move on. 

3. There will be bumps.  The second law of thermodynamics was a recurring topic and Sister Ade described this simply as the bumps of life. Moments when complexity or conflict arises and we are faced with the decision of keeping something or letting it go, or put differently, staying with the status quo or not. And this is where lesson #1 of creativity and connection come in handy, because they are the key to overcoming the bumps. 

A foolish birthday & send off party for Sister Ade

Even as Sister Ade transitioned back to Minnesota last May, she continues to embody these three lessons for me. She prioritized carving space to be creative and in relationship with people as she adjusts and readjusts to a new environment. And as she navigates one of her life’s greatest bumps of dealing with a degenerative illness, her determination to “experience it all” (i.e. the whole spectrum of life’s beauty and pain) and lean into spirit every step of the way, keeps her swinging gracefully. 

About a year ago, Sister Ade started opening and closing Cosmic Conversations by having the group sing “You are my Sunshine.” This was inspired by Hafiz’s quote that models how the sun models unconditional love and its transformative power… I don’t think it’s a stretch to say how Sister Ade has been sun (and moon, star, etc.) for many, especially for this Fool.  

P.S. For a little more background on Sister Ade, see her profile in this blog as one of the creative leads of our recent Fool Moon Fest. Cosmic Conversations also continue to take place at the Fools Court on Thursdays from 10:30-11:30 led by a rotation of Fools who continue to be inspired by Sister Ade's passion for curiosity and community.